Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.
Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.
The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.
Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.
Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
$3,000
Princess /// Contemporary Street Pop Art Painting Grace Kelly Abstract Colorful
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Jack Graves III (American, 1988-) Title: "Princess" Series: Eclecticism *Signed by Graves lower left. It is also signed, titled, and dated on verso Year: 2024 Medium: Origi...
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic
Airplane in landscape - landscape painting
Located in New York, NY
This beautiful painting by Jeroen Allart is part of his minimalist landscape and animal painting he did in his home country the Netherlands. 'A farm stands before you on the horizon....
Canvas, Oil
Fairy Princess Garden - Abstract Floral Still Life Textured Mixed Media Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Ink, Oil
$775
The Midnight Play - Abstract Floral Landscape Textured Graffiti Inspired Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$1,105
Spring Welcome - Abstract Folk Art Inspired Bird Still Life Painting on Cavnas
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meredith Walker creates vibrant original artworks that merge the enduring charm of folk art with a contemporary sensibility shaped by nature, memory, and visual storytelling. Inspire...
Canvas, Acrylic, Gouache, Mixed Media
NOCTURN - Contemporary Atmospheric and Modern Nature Painting
Located in Hallein, AT
The signature is on the back of the canvas A few words of the artist about his art: When i painting landscapes, I usually choose simple geometric arrangements, contrasts of vertica...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$650
Floating Leaves Wyatt Pond - Autumn Landscape Yellow Orange Leaves Blue Water
Located in Kent, CT
Brightly colored autumn leaves float on the surface of a vibrant teal blue pond in this rich, highly detailed contemporary landscape in gouache on paper. The many shades of golden, p...
Paper, Gouache
$1,800
Peach Refrigerator - Kitchen Interior Painting Yellow Cabinets Tiled Floor, 2021
Located in Kent, CT
In this contemporary painting in acrylic on canvas, a refrigerator with assorted magnets stands next to a microwave, toaster oven and blender, surrounded by wooden cabinets in a kitc...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,600
Dusk Moon Garden - Contemporary Night Landscape Field Flowers White House, 2024
Located in Kent, CT
In this contemporary landscape nighttime painting in acrylic on canvas, flowers on rolling hills are beneath a full moon in the sky. A white house stands at the top of the hill. Sign...
Canvas, Acrylic
BIRCH 1 - Contemporary Atmospheric and Modern Nature Painting
Located in Hallein, AT
The signature is on the back of the canvas A few words of the artist about his art: When i painting landscapes, I usually choose simple geometric arrangements, contrasts of vertica...
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
The Heart of an Iris
Located in Zofingen, AG
"A flower with the presence of a jewel. An immense iris unfurls in turquoise, blue and violet, its silken folds surrounding a golden heart that appears to glow from within. Deep burg...
Canvas, Acrylic
Have a Sit, Babe
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Somewhere between rushing through the day and constantly thinking about what comes next, there is a small luxury we often forget about: staying. Sitting down. Looking around. Lettin...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,088
Boots On, Worries Gone Contemporary Cowboys and horses Landscape Painting
Located in DE
A vibrant oil painting captures a serene moment in a desert landscape. The scene unfolds under a soft pink sky. Figures of cowboys stand in quiet camaraderie. Their attire blends ear...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sleeping
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Size: 95×95 cm (overall size with stretching 105×105 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Sleeping captures a quiet moment of rest, calm and stillness. The s...
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,237
Contrapuntal Painting Study (3/25) by James Lumsden - Abstract Art, Blue & Red
Located in Paris, FR
Contrapuntal Painting Study (3/25) is an artwork by Scottish artist James Lumsden created with acrylic on canvas and focusing on different shades of blue. Dimensions: 24 × 18 cm (9.4...
Acrylic
Minotaur Andino — Original Abstract and Representational Oil Painting 27x27 Inch
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
Minotaur Andino — Original Abstract and Representational Oil Painting Original abstract and representational oil painting on canvas by Colombian artist Luis Xiua, Minotaur Andino rei...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Best of Friends -21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Art Deco Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
This is for a special person in my life, the person I talk to about my plans, my best friend. Someone who is close and dear and always there when I need him, the one who walks with ...
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Peace Within 2 -21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Art Deco, People, Africa
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatund...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$1,547
Save a horse, ride a cowboy Contemporary Cowboys and horses Landscape Painting
Located in DE
A vibrant oil painting captures a serene moment in a desert landscape. The scene unfolds under a soft pink sky. Figures of cowboys stand in quiet camaraderie. Their attire blends ear...
Canvas, Acrylic
Trust: In Space — Set of Two
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 95×95 cm (overall size with stretching 105×105 cm) – size of each picture Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled This pair of paintings is part of my Trust: I...
Canvas, Acrylic
"In The Distance (mini v3)", Vintage-Inspired Figurative Stencil Car Scene
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"In The Distance (mini v3)" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on paper. The piece measures 9"h x 12.5"w framed and shipped i...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Mariana Paris Mon Amor: Renaissance Inspired Collage Art Mixed Media Painting
By Maria Torroba
Located in Atlanta, GA
Torroba cites Diego Velazquez’s 1653 portrait of Mariana of Austria as a major source of inspiration. During Velazquez’s tenure as the leading artist in the Spanish court of King Phi...
Mixed Media, Panel, Canvas, Acrylic
Abstract Fiesta, Modern Design, Playful Contemporary Painting on Canvas
Located in Barcelona, ES
Abstract Fiesta is a modern, festive painting on canvas by Perrine Honoré. Her work is distinguished by its youthful aesthetic and elegant interplay of shapes, through which she crea...
Canvas, Acrylic
Mobile Shapes on Pink, Mid Century Style Triptych, Organic Floating Forms, Blue
Located in Barcelona, ES
Details: Title: Mobile Shapes on Pink Medium: Acrylic on Paper Size: 40x83 inches (each panel measures 40x28 inches), 100x210 cm (each panel measures 100x70 cm) Year: 2026 * Frame ...
Acrylic, Handmade Paper
The Feast
Located in Zofingen, AG
There’s something special about gathering around a table. Good food, familiar faces, a little extravagance, and the quiet comfort of being somewhere you belong. In The Feast, a rathe...
Canvas, Acrylic
Peace Within 1 -21st Century Contemporary Figurative, Art Deco, People, Africa
By Bakare Abubakri-sideeq Babatunde
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube. This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Bakare Babatund...
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$7,500
Outland 53 - Contemporary Abstract Poured Painting Mint Blue Green Pink, 2026
Located in Kent, CT
In poured tinted polymer on aluminum, Outland No. 53 by Susan English is a wonderful play of color, light, and composition. The artist pours each layer of the tinted polymer, buildin...
Metal
Flash and Glimmer, I
By Gwen Wong
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
Passenger
By Gwen Wong
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
Lazy Morning 2
Located in Zofingen, AG
"""Lazy Morning"" is an intimate space in which the protagonist feels like the center of her own universe; it is a fragile feeling of personal uniqueness, when it seems as if the ent...
Canvas, Oil
"Above and Beyond"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Peregrine Heathcote’s paintings conjure a world of intoxicating glamour and intrigue, slipping across the boundaries of time to fuse iconic pre-war design with modern conceptions of ...
Canvas, Oil
The Peace Within - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$775
Hidden Secrets - Abstract 'I Love You' Textured Word Graffiti Inspired Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Bird of Happiness
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 100×100 cm (overall size with stretching 110×110 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Title: Bird of Happiness Series: The Decorative Series In Bird of...
Canvas, Acrylic
Flash and Glimmer, II
By Gwen Wong
Located in Atlanta, GA
Gwen Wong's work is both painterly and allegorical, caught somewhere in the middle between the representational painter and the narrator. "I am inspired by the idea of a childhood re...
Gold Leaf
Secret Place4
Located in Zofingen, AG
“Secret Place” - reminiscent of childhood, where there was always a secret place close to home, a secluded corner of nature that immerses you in the world of your thoughts and dreams...
Canvas, Oil
"To Be By Your Side"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Peregrine Heathcote’s paintings conjure a world of intoxicating glamour and intrigue, slipping across the boundaries of time to fuse iconic pre-war design with modern conceptions of ...
Oil, Canvas
"Oh Geez", Double Portrait of a Woman with Spinning Halos, Aerosol and Acrylic
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Oh Geez" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on paper. The piece measures 9"h x 12.5"w framed and shipped in the featured woo...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$585Sale Price|35% Off
Yellow Desert, Contemporary Abstract Oil Painting, Signed, 33 x 48 In
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
This contemporary figurative abstract painting presents a fantasy landscape where nature, human figures, animals and geometric forms coexist. The composition combines vibrant yellows...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Premonition of Eternity, Abstract Oil Painting on Canvas, 80x112 cm
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
"Premonition of Eternity" – Contemporary abstract oil painting on canvas. The surface is constructed through successive layers of greens, gold, sepia, and magenta, incorporating tran...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$1,160Sale Price|20% Off
Ireti (Hope) - 21st Century Contemporary Figurative Portrait, African Woman
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gal...
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$560Sale Price|30% Off
Yellow Dream Oil Painting on Canvas, Abstract Geometric, Signed, 30x31
Located in Bogotá, Bogotá
This original oil painting on canvas presents a composition that combines geometric forms, human figures, and references to the animal world through a visual language that moves betw...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Blue Vase with Flowers
Located in Zofingen, AG
Size: 102×92 cm (overall size with stretching 112×102 cm) Year: 2026 Materials: acrylic on canvas Shipping: rolled Title: Blue Vase with Flowers Series: The Decorative Series In Blu...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Imaginary Self - v2", Surreal Ghost Portrait on Dark Background
By Mando Marie (seeyouthroughit)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Imaginary Self - v2" is a one-of-a-kind original work by Amanda Marie (Mando), created using acrylic and aerosol on paper. The piece measures 12.5"h x 9"w framed and shipped in the ...
Paper, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$1,100
Field Painting August 3 - Contemporary Landscape Painting Wildflowers, 2023
Located in Kent, CT
In this contemporary landscape painting in oil on linen, a peaceful summer scene beautifully captures the idyllic feel of a field of wildflowers in early August. Signed, dated and ti...
Oil, Linen
Pink Oyster Shell with Pearls
Located in Zofingen, AG
Series: Sea Within — Shells & Pearls. Pink Oyster Shell with Pearls explores the luminous beauty of the sea through a warm, jewel-like palette of dus...
Canvas, Acrylic
A Table for Two
By Jacob Burda
Located in Zofingen, AG
"A Table for Two Some of life’s most meaningful moments happen quietly. An evening spent together at a small table, surrounded by warm lights and flowers, sharing a conversation wi...
Canvas, Acrylic
$775
Little Happy Cakes - Abstract Floral Still Life Textured Mixed Media Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Ink, Mixed Media, Oil, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Red Chair
Located in Zofingen, AG
A quiet little moment, with a touch of glamour. A hen settles into a deep red chair, pearls resting casually around her neck, looking completely at ease. There is something almost hu...
Canvas, Acrylic
HEAT HAZE - Modern Landscape Oil Pastel Painting, Warm Tones, Bright Light
By Janusz Kokot
Located in Hallein, AT
Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa at the Art Institute. He practices painting and drawing. In the years 1988 - 2020 he ...
Paper, Oil Pastel
"Beat, Beat. Plus Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" Abstract Diptych with String
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Beat, Beat. Plus Outro (Linea Pictura — Diptych)" is an original artwork by Hyland Mather made of acrylic, ink, string, pins on drop cloth, in tray frames. It measures approx 43”h x...
Canvas, Thread, Acrylic, Pins
In love with today K.Husslein abstract still life flower painting
Located in DE
Katharina Husslein, a German artist renowned for her hyperrealistic artworks, captures the essence of vibrant bouquets and lush impasto landscapes through oil paintings. Raised in a...
Canvas, Oil
New Year's Eve - Atmospheric Oil Pastel Painting, Warm Tones, Bright Light
By Janusz Kokot
Located in Hallein, AT
Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa at the Art Institute. He practices painting and drawing. In the years 1988 - 2020 he ...
Paper, Oil Pastel
$3,050
Summertime Smell Goods - Large Textured Airy Neutral Abstract Floral Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints floral abstract compositions in acrylic and mixed media on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary painti...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
$1,719
Splash of Joy. Original Contemporary Figurative Acrylic Painting, Child - Rabbit
Located in Oslo, NO
Joy in Motion is an original acrylic painting on canvas that combines contemporary figurative painting with geometric abstraction. The artwork captures a carefree childhood moment as...
Canvas, Acrylic
August, 32th
Located in Zofingen, AG
A day that doesn’t exist, somewhere between summer and a dream. A cow stands quietly in an apple-filled field, accompanied by a black cat in a blue scarf. Above them, a flock of gees...
Canvas, Acrylic
$775
Open Your Heart - Abstract Blue Graffiti Inspired 'Love You' Mixed Media Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles artist Amber Goldhammer paints dramatic abstract compositions in acrylic on canvas featuring energetic brushstrokes. Goldhammer uses her contemporary paintings to express...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
"My Horizon - Barcelona" Color Field Painting on Paper Insured by Mark Rothko
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
An acrylic and oil on heavy weight paper piece with bright use of color and texture. We are focused on the simplicity of beauty in the moment as Shaoul creates a translucent but very...
Oil, Acrylic, Archival Paper
$19,255
Manyara Lake No.4 by Calo Carratalá - Large Waterscape Painting, Tanzania, Birds
Located in Paris, FR
Manyara Lake No.4 is a unique painting by Spanish contemporary artist Calo Carratalá, it is made with acrylic on printed vinyl canvas mounted on wood frame, dimensions are 200 × 317 ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Tajine Silhouette. Still life Painting, Oil on canvas
Located in Miami Beach, FL
In most of the paintings, the artist uses an interior space as his subject, placing a table or similar object at its center. The use of symmetry and eye level often suggests an altar...
Canvas, Oil
The artist and activist is the subject of a new show at Washington, D.C.'s National Gallery of Art.
Manhattan's Acquavella Galleries is showing a group of the artist's monumental works that have never been seen together.
Koloman Moser smashed the conservative conventions of art and design in fin-de-siècle Vienna. On the 100th anniversary of his death, the Austrian designer is being celebrated for his radically modern creations.